"The total national validation, in spite of all the obstacles, is 409,313 signatures. The annulment will happen in 2016," Henrique Capriles, the opposition politician, said on Friday.

At least 195,721 signatures, or 1 percent of registered voters, are necessary to move to the next step in the process, according to the National Electoral Council.

The next step would be for election authorities to officially approve the signatures within the next 20 days, and set a deadline for a second petition, which would require about four million signatures to activate the referendum process.

Venezuela installs food distribution system to curb shortages

For months now, Maduro has faced increasing hostility, with opponents accusing him of driving oil-rich Venezuela to near economic collapse.

The recent slump in oil prices devastated the OPEC nation's economic model, leading to an increasing lack of basic goods available, as well as electricity blackouts.

Shortages of foods means that they have to queue outside shops in long lines for several hours.